A new report released by Wagga Wagga City Council has shown that it spent $150,000 on the trial aimed at eradicating blue-green algae from Lake Albert. Photo: Chris Roe.
A $150,000 price tag has been given to the ongoing blue-green algae treatment and prevention trial at Lake Albert by Wagga Wagga City Council this week.
The trial, which looks to eliminate algal blooms by starving bacteria of sunlight, began in January but, despite algae still being visible and a code red remaining in place, council manager of city growth and regional assets Ben Creighton said progress was being made.
“There have been some positive signs throughout the trial,” Mr Creighton said.
“It hasn’t been the silver bullet, but there has been a reduction in the blue-green algae biovolume. It is something that’s still ongoing and something that both Waterzyme [the company conducting the trial] and council are continuing to work out.
“We’re building an understanding of how this product, which has never been used on a large scale like this before, interacts and how it can potentially help the lake in the future.”
Mr Creighton said the trial would end in the next couple of weeks, with a report based on the outcomes available within the next two months.
“Once the report is ready, it will be sent to council, and from there it will be up to councillors to determine whether any additional funds are allocated to the future of this trial or any other potential trial,” he said.
While Waterzyme has not responded to Region Riverina’s numerous requests for comment, Mr Creighton insists the council has been in constant communication with the bio company.
“We’re talking to them multiple times a week,” he said.
“They’ve had a number of staff down here at various times for large chunks of time to conduct research.
“That communication is ongoing and we’re continuing to have those discussions around the test results which come in the form of visual inspections, looking at weather and the other impacts that could potentially affect algae blooms.”
Mr Creighton explained that as Wagga moved into the cooler months, the volume of algal blooms naturally decreased, but even so, test results were trending in the right direction.
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